1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a water inlet nozzle for an automatic clothes washer, and more particularly to a water inlet nozzle which provides a spray pattern in a direction which rinses clothes as thoroughly as practically possible during the spray rinse cycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional clothes washing machines execute a series of cycles to wash clothes. The clothes to be washed and detergent are initially placed in a perforate wash basket concentrically contained within a splash tub, both being housed within an outer cabinet. A vertical axis agitator is contained within the wash basket and is mechanically responsive to a drive motor. The wash basket is filled with water to a predetermined level and the wash cycle is begun. The clothes are agitated for a length of time and then then wash water is pumped from the wash basket. As the water drains, the wash basket is spun to help remove excess water and particlulates from the clothes. As the wash basket spins centrifugal force causes the clothes to accumlate circumferentially along the sidewall near the bottom of the wash basket. A spray rinse cycle is then activated during which the interior of the wash basket is sprayed with water as it spins the clothes contained therein. This helps to remove detergent and particulates from the interior walls of the wash basket and ideally rinses the clothes as thoroughly as practically possible. A deep rinse is then conducted where the wash basket is filled to a predetermined level with rinse water and the clothes are again agitated before the final drain.
The purpose of a water inlet nozzle is to introduce water into the wash basket during the various cycles. During the initial fill cycles and during the fill operation when preparing for the deep rinse cycle the direction the water is introduced into the wash basket is of minimal concern because the objective is to fill the wash basket so the wash or rinse cycle may begin. However, during the spray rinse cycle it is advantageous to direct the spray primarily onto the clothes accumulated around the interior wall of the wash basket to assure that they are rinsed off as thoroughly as practically possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,622 issued to R. L. Fanson on July 5, 1988 discloses a water inlet device designed to compensate for varying water pressures of water supply sources. The device tends to eliminate redirected water spray, resulting from high pressures, from entering areas of the washer cabinet which are not designed for excessive water spray. This is accomplished by a unique front lip or wall of the device which directs water to different portions of the wash basket depending upon the amount of water pressure being applied. During low water pressure conditions most of the inlet water is directed downwardly and toward the wash basket wall with a portion of the inlet water being directed toward progressively lower portions of the basket wall. As the water pressure increases, more and more of the inlet water will be directed lower on the basket interior wall or away from the basket wall. At very high inlet water pressures most of the water is directed downwardly while a relatively constant amount of water will be directed against the basket interior wall.
The various inlet directions obtained by the fill nozzle of Fanson are the result of a front lip which has a portion adjacent the center that is angled downwardly and slightly rearwardly to direct the flow of water at an angle of approximately 13.degree. toward the basket wall. The lip changes in shape so that adjacent the two side edges the surface is angled downwardly and slightly forwardly at an angle of approximately 15.degree. so that the water flow will be directly downwardly and toward the agitator or, in effect, toward the curving side walls of the basket at points circumferentially spaced from the inlet nozzle. The resultant spray pattern is substantially arcuate with the edges being directed more downwardly and away from the wash basket wall than the center of the spray pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,455 issued to E. G. Olthuis on Sept. 20, 1971 discloses a water inlet device which provides a gentle stream of liquid into the wash basket despite large variations of the inlet pressure. The device utilizes a cup-shaped member having a plurality of downwardly depending projectons which break up and spread out the flow of water as it discharges into the washing basket. The resulting discharge stream is gentle and thereby eliminates excess splash. One embodiment of Olthuis provides a discharge trajectory which is somewhat inclined from the vertical but no indication is made as to where the water impinges upon the interior of the wash basket.
While the aforementioned patents are concerned with varying water inlet pressures, some automatic clothes washers utilize restrictors of such a size that the rate of flow will vary only slightly over the range of pressures that can normally be expected in the water supply line. Thus, water inlet nozzles can provide a more consistent control over where inlet water will be directed within a wash basket.